New England Patriots

Nate Solder: ‘Stand or kneel,’ we won’t be divided

Here's what Patriots players have said about Donald Trump's attacks on the NFL

Nate Solder holds his son after the Patriots' Super Bowl LI victory.

By Nik DeCosta-Klipa

1 minute to read

 

Robert Kraft wasn’t the only member of the Patriots organization to push back against Donald Trump’s attacks on NFL players.

Nate Solder, the Patriots’ starting left tackle, tweeted Sunday that the team has too much respect for each other inside the locker room to let national anthem protests divide them.

“Stand or kneel, that’s a free choice,” said Solder, a seventh-year offensive lineman and son of a Vietnam War veteran.

“You won’t see any division in this locker room over that, we respect each other too much.”

Solder’s sentiment was shared by some members of the Patriots defense as well.

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Recently acquired defensive end Cassius Marsh said that NFL players deserve to exercise “exercise ALL our rights as citizens of this amazing, beautiful country.”

Devin McCourty, who skipped the Patriots’ visit to the White House in protest of the president, evoked Trump’s recent remarks to ask whether critics of his decision would speak up now. During a rally Friday, the Republican president vulgarly called for NFL owners to fire players who protest during the national anthem.

Meanwhile, Tom Brady, whose close relationship with Trump has been closely scrutinized, posted a photo on Instagram listing the qualities of an NFL player, though it did not specifically mention the president or his comments.

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“Strength. Passion. Love. Brotherhood. Team. Unity. Commitment. Dedication. Determination. Respect. Loyalty. Work,” Brady wrote Sunday morning, adding the hashtag #nflplayer.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZbNAy9BBYC/?hl=en

Brady also appeared to applaud a similar Instagram post by Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

https://twitter.com/TampaBayTre/status/911953810855284736